Mr Frank Tietie, the Executive Director, Citizens Advocacy for Social and Economic Right, has called on Nigerians to reject the water resources bill before the National Assembly.
Tietie, a human rights lawyer made the call at a news conference on Monday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that he said the water resources bill was seeking to regulate the use of water by Nigerians and also checkmate personal access to water.
He said the bill had a sinister motive and “is anti-masses’’ saying the government would be treading on the wrong path should the bill scale through.
Tietie said the bill came up in the 8th National Assembly, but was rejected by Nigerians, stressing that it remained a mystery why the bill was resuscitated at this time.
“The importance of water resources is a major issue across the world as countries are grappling with issues that have to do with water.
“Water is not crude oil, so it should not be regulated. The way the Federal Government is managing our natural resources is not encouraging, so allowing them to extend their hold on water resources will compound issues.”
He said attempt by the lawmakers to reintroduce the bill should be resisted by Nigerians, stressing that such bill was capable of reducing access to water for the citizenry.
Tietie said if the Federal Government was allowed to control water, it would further compound the nation’s security challenges.
He called on Nigerians from various constituencies to call their lawmakers to order, stating that allowing the bill to be passed would set the nation on fire.
Mr Mike Egiethua, the Publisher, Cross Fire Report and a member of the group, described the bill as “obnoxious’’, stating that the repercussion might be unbearable.
He called on Nigerians to wake up, stating that the lawmakers should be the one to speak for the citizenry.
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